Because of security requirements and other considerations, residents of a detention environment are typically limited as to which persons outside of the environment they may communicate with. As such, direct, uncontrolled communications using standard telephone systems, including SMS and MMS messaging and IM, are unsuitable, and administrators of detention environments may go to great lengths to prevent such communications.
Persons wishing to communicate with individuals residing inside detention environments have limited methods and time-windows in which to have telephone and/or video calls. Outside persons normally cannot call inmates of detention environments, but can only leave voicemails, or use traditional mail or participate in visitation day. There is a need for a more convenient way for outside persons to communicate with inmates while maintaining the safety and security features that detention environments require.
Some of the limitations associated with detention environment communications result from the rules promulgated by the detention environments, some limitations result from limited availability of visitation rooms or telecommunications equipment, or funds available, while others result from conflicting schedules of the residents of the detention environment and those on the outside. Historically, staff personnel at detention environments have needed to be personally and individually involved in arranging visitations for the confined residents, and there are no suitably automated systems for managing and overcoming the above barriers.